Shih Tzu Escapes Dognapper and Reunites With Mom

Editor’s note: This post is a Care2 Favorite. It was originally published on September 27, 2012. Enjoy!

Written by Ed Kostro of Illinois

I had just pulled out of the grocery store parking lot when I noticed two small dogs standing by the side of the road. One of them was a little tan mixed breed wearing a black collar; the other a matted little grey Shih-Tzu. At first, I thought they belonged to a man walking down the street, but he simply ignored them both and walked on by.

Suddenly, these two small dogs decided to cross the road in heavy traffic. I jumped out of my truck and I called out to them. The little brown dog took one look at me and raced away down an alley. The little Shih-Tzu, however, raced right into my waiting arms. I scooped him up and placed him in the passenger seat of my truck. When I got back in myself, he looked over at me as if to say: ‘Okay, let’s go!’ And he very contentedly snuggled up next to me as we pulled away.

This extremely friendly little street orphan was extremely matted and dirty, and I immediately assumed that he was yet another abandoned dog, forced to fend for himself. Nine out of ten dogs that we rescue on the mean city streets today are throw-aways; but I always have them scanned for a micro-chip just in case.

A Hush Fell Over the Room

When we arrived at the vet’s office, I announced that I had just found another little street orphan, and the girl behind the desk immediately pulled out the trusty microchip scanner. A hush fell over the room as she whisked it all around his matted little body, and suddenly we heard the unmistakable beep – he had a chip – and everyone applauded.

Soon, we knew this little street orphan’s name – it was Russell. And the young woman on the other end of the phone was simply overjoyed. “I can’t believe you found him! Our little Russell has been missing since last January!”

She arrived at the vet’s office not long after. She took one look at little Russell and several tears rolled down her cheek. He took one look at her, and his matted little tail began wagging like crazy. They had found each other again, after nine long months.

She showed me the ‘Lost Poster’ that she had plastered all over her neighborhood, and it was hard to believe that little Russell had vanished from her backyard way back on January 9th. She had assumed that he had been stolen by someone, and she had just about given up ever finding her precious little dog again.

After hearing where she lived, which was many miles away from where I found him, we all agreed that someone must have stolen friendly little Russell and whisked him away from his home. But whether he escaped his kidnapper after all this time, or he was cruelly tossed back out on the street by him, we will never know.

I do know, however, that this is my favorite kind of pet rescue story. There is nothing better than reuniting a loved lost pet with its family. This kind of story makes animal rescue work truly worthwhile.

As I was about to leave the vet’s office, now joyous little Russell rushed up to me and kissed my face several times, thanking me for bringing him home. What more could I ask for?

Please micro-chip your own pets; this caring inexpensive gesture truly is a life saver. And please safeguard them at all times; we’re still searching for little Russell’s traveling companion.